Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
User Reviews
4.9
Tzatziki Sauce Recipe
Description
This Tzatziki Sauce starts by grating partially peeled cucumbers, salting them, and extracting moisture with a cheesecloth or napkin for a thick texture. Garlic is finely minced and combined with vinegar and olive oil to create a flavorful base. Greek yogurt is then stirred in along with ground white pepper and optional fresh herbs like dill or mint for added freshness. The sauce chills for a minimum of 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and thicken.
The finished sauce is rich and creamy with a slight tang from the yogurt and vinegar, and a refreshing crunch and slight bite from the cucumber and garlic. The mild herbs add brightness without overpowering the garlic flavor. This sauce is traditional for dipping vegetables or serving with warm pita.
Before serving, stirring the sauce freshens the texture. Drizzling additional olive oil on top can add richness as a final touch. It stores well refrigerated in a tightly sealed container and is best used within four days.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cucumber partially peeled (striped, English variety
- 1 tsp kosher salt divided
- 4 to 5 garlic peeled, finely grated or minced (you start with 1 to 2 garlic cloves if you don't want it to be too strong, cloves
- 1 tsp white vinegar
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Early Harvest Greek
- 2 cups yogurt plain, Greek
- dill chopped fresh, or mint, optional, handful
- 1/4 tsp ground white pepper
- pita bread warm, for serving
- vegetables sliced, for serving
Instructions
- Use a box grater to manually grate the cucumbers or you can use a small food processor to finely chop the cucumbers as I do in this recipe. Toss the grated cucumbers with 1/2 tsp kosher salt. Spoon the grated cucumber into a cheese cloth or a double thickness napkin and squeeze dry. (There will be a lot of liquid).
- In one large mixing bowl, place the garlic with remaining 1/2 tsp salt, white vinegar, and extra virgin olive oil. Mix to combine.
- Add the grated cucumber to the bowl with the garlic mixture. Stir in the yogurt, and a pinch of white or black pepper, and the fresh herbs (if using. I did not use fresh herbs in the video). Stir to combine well.
- Cover and refrigerate for a bit (anywhere from 30 minutes to a couple hours before serving). This will help thicken the sauce and give it the best texture, while allowing the flavors to meld.
- When ready to serve, stir the tzatziki sauce to refresh and transfer to serving bowl, drizzle with more extra virgin olive oil, if you like. Serve with your favorite veggies, pita chips or wedges (be sure to read the post for more ideas on how to use this sauce)!
Notes
- This recipe yields about 2 cups of tzatziki, with 1 tablespoon as a typical serving size.
- Adjust garlic quantity to preference; start with fewer cloves if you want a milder garlic flavor.
- Store tightly covered in the refrigerator and consume within 4 days for best freshness.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 2cups
Amount Per Serving
Calories 163 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 16.3kcal | 1% |
| Carbohydrates | 1g | 0% |
| Protein | 1.5g | 3% |
| Fat | 0.7g | 1% |
| Saturated Fat | 0.2g | 1% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 0.1g | 1% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 0.3g | 2% |
| Cholesterol | 0.8mg | 0% |
| Sodium | 78.7mg | 3% |
| Potassium | 11.9mg | 0% |
| Fiber | 0.1g | 0% |
| Sugar | 0.7g | 1% |
| Vitamin A | 15.6IU | 0% |
| Vitamin C | 0.3mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 18.4mg | 2% |
| Iron | 0.1mg | 1% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.9
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